198 SKETCH OF THE SIKHS, 



and of some historical trails,, the of which, when I re-?, 



turned to Calcutta, were explained to me by a Sikh priest of the J^irmala 

 order, whom I found equally intelligent and commuiaicative, and who spoke 

 of the religion and ceremonies of his se61 with less restraint than any of 

 his brethren, whom I had met with' in the Peiijdb. This -slender stock of 

 materials was subsequently much enriched by my friend Dr. LeydeKj 

 who has favoured rae with^. translation of seyeral trads written by Sikh 

 authors in the Penjdbz •and Duggar diale€is, treating of their history and 

 religion, which, though full of that warm imagery which marks ail orien- 

 tal works, and particularly those whose authors enter on the boundless 

 field of Hindu mythology, contain the most valuable verifications of the 

 different religious institutions of the Sikh nation. 



It was my first intention to have endeavoured to add to these materials, 

 and to have written^ when I had leisure, a history of the iS'/M^; but the 

 a^ftive nature of my public duties has made it impossible to carry this plan 

 into early execution, and 1 have had the choice of deferring it to, a distant 

 and uncertain period ; or of giving, from wfiat I a6lually possessed, a short 

 ^d hasty sketch of their history, customs and religion.. The latter alter- 

 native I have adopted: for although the information I may convey in such 

 a sketch, maybe very defe6live ; it will be useful, at a moment when e;''ery 

 information, regarding the Sikhs^ is of importance ; and it may perhaps 

 stimxilate and aid some person who ha^ more leisiare, and better opportu- 

 nities/ to^cofeplish that task which I once contemplated^ s 



, In composing this rapid sketch pf the Sikhs ^ J. have still had to encoun- 

 ter variou^^difBcultieSo There is no part of oriental biography in which 



procured ^ot.ptlly the "Adi-Grantli^ but also the Dmpia. Padshah ka Grmi'hj. and that, 

 ^©flsegueiitljf he is in jiossessioa of tj^p two p^o^t sacs^d hfioks of Ae Sikhf, , ^. ,,| ,, , | 



